JONESBORO, Ark. (4/26/24) – Arkansas State baseball (19-23-1, 6-13-1 SBC) bounced back emphatically in their doubleheader against Texas State (21-23, 7-13 SBC), defeating the Bobcats by scores of 5-4 and 8-7 (10) on Friday night at Tomlinson Stadium.
 
Kole Turner made his sixth start of the season in the opener, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three over 5.0 innings pitched. Max Charlton started in the backend, surrendering one run on four hits while striking out one more over 3.0 innings pitched.
 
Hunter Ryan shined during the first matchup after going 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs and an HBP. Three players had three hits in the nightcap, but Jared Toler (2-for-5) had a team-leading three RBIs, including the last one needed to secure the victory.
 
GAME ONE
Texas State jumped out to an early two-run lead in the opening frame after receiving a pair of RBI-singles from Daylon Pena and August Ramirez. The Red Wolves responded with two runs on a single from Cason Tollett, but left the bases loaded with the score tied at 2-2.
 
The contest quickly turned into a pitching duel over the next four innings. Only four hits were recorded during the stretch, but the Red Wolves and Bobcats would wake up in the sixth.
 
Pena drove in a run on a sacrifice fly before Ramirez fired an RBI-single up the middle to put Texas State ahead. Blake Burris got one run back after singling through the right side in the bottom frame, but A-State trailed 4-3 going into the final stretch.
 
Cason Campbell put the Scarlet and Black in front for the first time after firing a two-run single to right field in the seventh. Blaine Harpenau (2) took control from there, keeping the Bobcats hitless over the next two innings to secure the victory.
 
Arlon Butts (2-1) earned the win and Harpenau claimed the save while Austin Eaton (3-4) took the loss.
 
GAME TWO
A-State wasted little time in the second matchup, striking on an RBI-single from Cason Tollett in the bottom of the first.
 
The Red Wolves began to build their lead in the third when Burris sent another single through the right side. Toler drove in two more after tripling to left and Nyan Hayes scored on a fielding error before Cason Campbell capped off a five-run frame with a single.
 
Pena opened the scoring for Texas State once again after recording an RBI-groundout in the fourth. The Scarlet and Black responded in the form of a sacrifice fly from Hayes, making the score 7-1.
 
The Bobcats chipped away at the lead in the next inning, beginning with a two-run double from Chase Mora. Another RBI-groundout for Pena and a two-run single for Rashawn Galloway made it a one-run ballgame going into the sixth.
 
Both sides went scoreless until the top of the ninth when Mora tied the game on an RBI-single. However, A-State was able to escape a bases-loaded jam with a 6-4-3 double play before the game went into extra innings.
 
After sending Texas State down 1-2-3 in the 10th, the Red Wolves put runners on first and third before Toler fired a rocket to the right-field wall for a walk-off single.
 
Jake Henry Williams (2-1) earned the win after allowing one hit over the final two innings while Sam Hall (1-5) took the loss. A-State swept their first doubleheader of the season, with the last one occurring against Mississippi Valley State on February 28, 2023.
 
The sweep also secured the first conference series victory for the Red Wolves, snapping a streak of six consecutive conference series defeats.

NEXT UP
Arkansas State will conclude their series with Texas State on Saturday, April 27 at Tomlinson Stadium. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. on ESPN+ and can be heard on 95.3/96.9 The Ticket Radio Network along with the A-State Red Wolves mobile app.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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